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“There’s a camera right there.” The woman pointed toward the far wall. “While it comes with the job to see people mill around out here, you’re starting to make my assistant really nervous.”
“Sorry.”
Elisa meant to bolt. Just take off down the hall and get to the elevator or the stairs, whichever came first, but her legs refused to move. This new habit of being locked in her bodymade life impossible. Her brain would whir to life, spinning with panicked scenarios, but her body froze. This new “normal” had started with the shooting and crept up on her numerous times since when her anxiety spiked.
“We can talk out here, but you might be more comfortable inside,” the woman said.
“Do you know who I am?” It was a silly question. Of course she didn’t.
“You’re Elisa Wright.” The woman smiled. “I’m Shelby Tanaka.”
One of the names on the business card. Not what Elisa expected but she didn’t know why other than she’d seen one too many television shows where the private investigator was a fifty-year-old alcoholic white guy. She’d never met a real-life investigator, male or female, Asian or not.
“You’ve been looking for me,” Elisa said, stating the obvious.
Shelby didn’t force contact. She closed the door, giving them privacy in the empty hallway, and leaned against the wall. “I know our repeated contacts can be annoying, but we really do just want to talk with you.”
“About?”
“Maxine Webber.”
That part was not a surprise. “I mean, I know you’re asking about the shooting and what happened to her, but why?”
Shelby folded her hands together in front of her. “There’s a question about your former employer’s liability for the shooting. Questions about what the hospital knew or should have known and when, and what safety measures should have beenput in place to protect Maxine and everyone else who works there.”
She spoke so clearly, So matter-of-fact. No judgment. No pressure. The lyrical sound of Shelby’s voice lulled Elisa into believing this whole mess might just be okay.... or almost did. “Maxine was killed on the sidewalk outside of the office.”
“I know. I also know the hospital fought your worker’s compensation claim and lost.”
She probably knew way more than Elisa did about the business, people, and building where she worked for years. Which left the obvious question. “Is this because the hospital wants me to sign some sort of agreement?”
“No.”
“I got a letter...” Which Elisa had ignored, so she couldn’t quote it.
“I don’t work for the hospital.”
A relief. Elisa couldn’t addbattling her former employerto her list of things to handle right now. She was barely surviving and accomplishing the most basic tasks. “Then what do you want with me?”
Elisa expected stalling, but Shelby dove right into a real answer. “Mostly workplace atmosphere information. We need to know what, if anything, Maxine said or did before the shooting that might be relevant. That includes outside, earlier that day, and in the days before. If Keith had made threats before being fired. The work environment. Hostility, concerns, that sort of thing.”
“I thought you were a detective agency.” Elisa assumedinvestigators got involved in divorce cases and gathering evidence about adultery and, maybe, doing a bit of background. This sounded bigger, more thorough. More like part of a bigger team effort. Legal stuff. “Is the hospital being sued?”
Shelby didn’t blink. “We were hired by Maxine’s family, but there are limits on what I can say about legal strategy.”
“Yet, you expect me to talk and spill everything.”
“Honestly? It’s going to happen eventually. We can do it this way or a lawyer might schedule your deposition in the future. You could get a notice to appear in court.” Shelby shrugged. “Talking to me should be less stressful.”
That phrase, the emphasis onstress,made Elisa wonder what exactly Shelby knew about her life since the shooting. “Okay, I get it.”
“I know this is sensitive—”
“Understatement,” Elisa shot back then immediately regretted the burst of emotion. Shelby had played this conversation so cool. Elisa wanted to mirror that quality. “Sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize, but I would like you to come in.” Shelby nodded toward the closed office door. “We can sit down and talk. This will be very informal. I promise.”
Sounded serious to Elisa. “Uh-huh.”
